Usar Conjugation: All Spanish Tenses

Usar (to use, to utilize) is one of the most used verbs in Spanish and it is completely regular: it follows the -ar verb pattern in every tense, so it is the perfect model verb to learn first.

Indicative Tenses of Usar

Usar in the Present (Presente)

Habits, current facts and general truths: Uso el ordenador todos los días (I use the computer every day).

Present tense rules →

Usar in the Preterite (Pretérito indefinido)

Completed actions at a specific moment in the past: Ayer usé tu bicicleta para ir al trabajo (Yesterday I used your bicycle to go to work).

Preterite rules →

Usar in the Present Perfect (Pretérito perfecto)

Past connected to the present: Hoy he usado el coche dos veces (Today I have used the car twice).

Present perfect rules →

Usar in the Imperfect (Pretérito imperfecto)

Habitual or ongoing actions in the past: De niño usaba mucho la imaginación (As a child I used my imagination a lot).

Imperfect rules →

Usar in the Past Perfect (Pluscuamperfecto)

An action before another past action: Cuando llegué, ya habían usado todo el papel (When I arrived, they had already used all the paper).

Past perfect rules →

Usar in the Future (Futuro simple)

Plans and predictions: Mañana usaré el nuevo programa (Tomorrow I will use the new program).

Future tense rules →

Usar in the Future Perfect (Futuro perfecto)

An action that will be completed in the future: Para el viernes ya habremos usado todo el presupuesto (By Friday we will have used the whole budget).

Future perfect rules →

Usar in the Conditional (Condicional simple)

Advice and hypothetical situations: Yo en tu lugar usaría otro método (If I were you, I would use another method).

Conditional rules →

Usar in the Conditional Perfect (Condicional compuesto)

Hypotheses about the past: Habría usado otro coche, pero no tenía las llaves (I would have used another car, but I didn't have the keys).

Conditional perfect rules →

Subjunctive Tenses of Usar

Present Subjunctive of Usar (Presente de subjuntivo)

Wishes, doubts and emotions: Quiero que uses casco siempre (I want you to always use a helmet).

Present subjunctive rules →

Present Perfect Subjunctive of Usar (Pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo)

Evaluating a recent past action: Espero que hayas usado el cinturón (I hope you have used the seatbelt).

Perfect subjunctive rules →

Imperfect Subjunctive of Usar (Pretérito imperfecto de subjuntivo)

Hypothetical conditions: Si usaras gafas, verías mejor (If you wore glasses, you would see better).

Imperfect subjunctive rules →

Past Perfect Subjunctive of Usar (Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo)

Unreal hypotheses about the past: Si hubieras usado el mapa, no te habrías perdido (If you had used the map, you wouldn't have gotten lost).

Past perfect subjunctive rules →

Imperative of Usar

Affirmative Commands of Usar (Imperativo afirmativo)

Orders and requests: ¡Usa el sentido común! (Use common sense!)

Affirmative commands rules →

Negative Commands of Usar (Imperativo negativo)

Prohibitions and negative advice: No uses el teléfono al conducir (Don't use the phone while driving).

Negative commands rules →

Expressions with Usar

• Usar y tirar - single-use, disposable (literally: use and throw away)
• Usar la cabeza - to use your head, to think things through
• Estar sin usar - to be brand new, unused
• Usar de la palabra - to take the floor, to speak up